Tongjia Residence
After waking up, Lanzhu looked at the somewhat dim room and called out, “Liu Chun.”
“This servant is here, Gege.” Liu Chun, who had been keeping watch by the bedside, quickly pulled back the bed curtains upon hearing Gege’s voice.
Seeing that Gege was awake, she leaned over to help her sit up.
Since the windows were not open at the moment, Lanzhu looked at the dim space and couldn’t quite tell the time.
“How long have I slept?”
“Gege, you’ve only slept for an hour. It’s just past the middle of the hour of the rooster.” Liu Chun placed a cushion behind Gege’s back.
“Is Gege hungry?”
Lanzhu shook her head. “Not hungry yet.”
“How did that matter go?”
“Was it resolved?” Lanzhu was most concerned about the Gege who had been abducted.
“Rest assured, Gege, everyone has been rescued.” Liu Chun knew that Gege would ask as soon as she woke up, so she had been keeping an eye on the developments in the capital.
This news had just come in not long ago, and Liu Chun thought Gege would be happy to hear it.
Sure enough, upon hearing the news, Lanzhu showed a relieved smile. “It’s good that they were rescued.”
“No one was hurt, right?”
“No, they all returned safely, just a bit frightened. A couple of days of rest will do them good,” Liu Xia said.
“That’s good.” Only then did Lanzhu completely relax.
At this moment, footsteps sounded outside the door.
Soon after, Liu Qiu’s cheerful voice rang out, “Gege! Gege!”
“The palace has sent something again.” When Liu Qiu ran into the room, she saw that Gege’s face didn’t show much happiness.
She couldn’t help but restrain her smile and asked softly, “Is Gege unhappy?”
“Go bring them in,” Lanzhu neither said she was unhappy nor happy.
On the side, Liu Chun frowned again. Even after being taught, Liu Qiu’s nature was still like this. It seemed she needed to find a time to mention it to Gege.
It’s not that it’s bad. If Gege didn’t enter the palace and just married into an ordinary family, this kind of nature could amuse Gege and wouldn’t matter much.
But in the palace, such a nature is a hidden danger.
Not long after, Liu Qiu brought people in. It wasn’t someone from the Tongjia Residence transferring the items, but two eunuchs who directly delivered them.
This left Lanzhu momentarily stunned.
“This servant greets Tongjia Gege.” The leading eunuch looked about sixteen or seventeen, with a fair and clean face, looking more like a scholar than a eunuch.
“Too polite, Gonggong.” Shouldn’t such deliveries be sent directly to the main courtyard?
Why did Mother let them come directly to her courtyard?
“This servant is here by the Emperor’s order to deliver a reward to Tongjia Gege.”
“This is the Liuguang brocade tribute from Jiangnan. The Emperor ordered us to deliver it to you, Tongjia Gege.” After speaking, the two eunuchs handed the items they were holding to the maid beside Tongjia Gege.
“A reward?!” Lanzhu was even more puzzled.
What did she do to make Cousin send her a reward?
“The Emperor said that today’s matter in the capital was thanks to Tongjia Gege notifying him, so this is the reward sent to you.”
“I see.” Upon hearing the explanation, Lanzhu finally understood.
Lanzhu wasn’t surprised at all that Cousin knew she was the one who informed him. Even without leaving the palace, Cousin was well aware of the happenings in the capital. This is the power of an emperor.
“Liu Chun, give the two Gonggongs some tea money.”
“Yes, Gege.” Liu Chun took out two pouches from her sleeve. These were the silver coins she had prepared for shopping today, but due to the incident, they hadn’t been used. However, they were just right for a reward now.
As the big maid beside Gege, Liu Chun was naturally not stingy with rewards. Each pouch contained a ten-tael silver note.
Yuanbao were too large to fit in a pouch, so aside from loose silver, Gege didn’t have yuanbao over ten taels.
The two eunuchs modestly declined a bit, but in the end, they accepted. Upon receiving the light pouches, joy was evident in their eyes.
Tongjia Gege was indeed generous, making their efforts to secure this task worthwhile.
“The palace is waiting for our report, so we will take our leave.”
“Take care, Gonggongs.”
“Liu Dong, see the two Gonggongs out.”
“Yes, Gege.”
After everyone had left, Lanzhu looked at the fabric placed on the table.
No wonder it was something worthy of tribute; it was indeed beautiful.
However, Lanzhu wasn’t particularly delighted.
Such tributes from below are usually not in large quantities, emphasizing the principle of rarity being precious.
So now that Cousin generously sent two bolts over, the other people in the palace would probably lose sleep.
Although Lanzhu wasn’t afraid of the others in the harem, she didn’t want to be envied for no reason.
Just thinking about it gave her a headache!
She hadn’t even entered the palace yet and was already attracting trouble.
So what’s so good about the palace?
Why do so many people want to squeeze their way in?
“Liu Qiu, take it to the storeroom.”
Liu Qiu hesitated for a moment. “Gege, this fabric is so beautiful. Aren’t you planning to make clothes out of it?”
Hearing this, Lanzhu looked at Liu Qiu steadily. “No.”
She just said this lightly without explaining anything.
But Liu Qiu, in a daze, felt that something had changed.
Yet looking at Gege’s calm eyes, she felt it was just her imagination.
After Liu Qiu left the room with the fabric, Liu Chun spoke up, “Gege, with Liu Qiu like this, I’m afraid she’s not suitable to follow you into the palace.”
“Liu Chun, I thought you would plead for Liu Qiu.” Facing such a Liu Chun, Lanzhu inexplicably smiled.
Liu Chun shook her head. “In this servant’s heart, no one is more important than Gege. Liu Qiu made her own mistakes, and this servant knows you’ve already given her countless chances.”
In the past, Gege’s path wasn’t in the palace, so neither she nor Gege paid much attention to Liu Qiu’s carefree nature. After all, as long as Gege didn’t enter the palace, no matter whom she married, the Tongjia Residence would always be Gege’s strongest support, and the Tongjia Residence had the confidence for that.
But now that it’s changed to entering the palace, Gege can’t have someone like Liu Qiu by her side.
“Let’s see.”
“Besides, I’m not sure if I want you all to follow me into the palace.” Lanzhu sighed.
The imperial palace is a splendid cage. Palace maids cannot leave before the age of twenty-five. These maids grew up with her, and how could Lanzhu bear to delay them?
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Liu Chun and Liu Xia both knelt down on the ground. “Gege, then this servant will speak frankly.”
“No matter where you are, this servant will follow. Don’t think of leaving us behind.”
“This servant was saved by you, Gege. This life was given by you. Wherever you are, this servant will be.” This was what Liu Xia said.
Lanzhu looked at the two without speaking. “What’s so good about the palace? You have more freedom outside.”
“But the palace has you, Gege.” The two answered in unison.
“We’ll talk about this later.” Lanzhu didn’t want to decide now.
Perhaps if they waited a bit, they would change their minds.
But Lanzhu understood that this might just be her wishful thinking.
After Liu Dong escorted the people out, she saw Liu Chun and Liu Xia kneeling on the ground. Her expression froze for a moment. “Gege, on the way back, I ran into the steward. He said Master wants you to come over.”
Lanzhu turned her head. “I know.”
She then got up, tidied her clothes, and glanced at Liu Chun and the others. “Aren’t you leaving?”
“This servant will leave now.” Liu Chun and Liu Xia quickly got up, composed their expressions, and followed behind Gege.
“Liu Dong, you stay and watch the courtyard.”
“Yes, Gege.”
…
Lanzhu slowly made her way to the front courtyard with her people. Unlike her less favored half-sisters, Lanzhu had no restrictions on going to the front courtyard at the Tongjia Residence.
In the Tongjia Residence, no matter where, if Lanzhu wanted to go, there was nowhere she couldn’t.
This was her right as the legitimate daughter and also her father’s favoritism.
Since it was already getting dark, lanterns were lit along the main road of the Tongjia Residence.
It was not yet midsummer, and the evening breeze on her face was extremely comfortable.
At this moment, Lanzhu was thoroughly enjoying the tranquility, and her heart seemed to calm down, with her entire demeanor becoming gentle.
Lanzhu’s Fuchun Courtyard was neither too far nor too close to the front courtyard. Half an hour later, Lanzhu arrived in front of her father’s study.
Outside, Yi Qing, who was by her father’s side, was already waiting. Seeing the Eldest Miss approaching, he immediately smiled and quickly went up to greet her. “This servant greets the Eldest Miss.”
“Master was just asking about you, Eldest Miss. Please go in quickly.”
“Has Father had dinner yet?” It was neither too early nor too late, and in the palace, Cousin couldn’t possibly provide meals for Father and the others.
Judging by the situation, Father must have called for her as soon as he left the palace, probably not having had time to eat.
“In response to Gege, he hasn’t.”
“Then go to the main kitchen and instruct them to prepare a few light dishes.” Lanzhu knew her father’s taste was quite heavy, but lighter meals in the evening were better for his health.
“This servant will go right away.” Yi Qing visibly relaxed.
When Master returned, he had asked, but Master was clearly in a bad mood and had no appetite. But now that Gege was here, Master probably wouldn’t refuse.
Afterward, Lanzhu didn’t let Yi Qing announce her arrival and directly knocked on the study door three times.
Inside, Tong Guowei’s cold voice came out, “What is it?”
“Father, it’s me.”
“Oh, it’s Lanzhu. Come in quickly.” This time, the voice was noticeably softer.
Lanzhu pushed open the door and entered, without Liu Chun and the others following.
In the study, Tong Guowei sat upright at the desk. Seeing his daughter come in, his expression softened, but there was still a trace of anger in his brows.
“Daughter greets Father.”
“Lanzhu, were you scared today?” Tong Guowei wanted to pat his daughter’s head to comfort her.
But just as he raised his hand, he suddenly remembered that Lanzhu was already fourteen, a grown girl, and couldn’t be treated as casually as before.
Lanzhu shook her head. “I’m not scared anymore.”
“Lanzhu was very brave today.”
Hearing this, Lanzhu shyly smiled. “No, no, there were many people out today, so I wasn’t afraid.”
“No matter what, Lanzhu was very brave.” Tong Guowei recalled the expressions on the other ministers’ faces when the news reached the palace, and he felt a sense of satisfaction!
Who didn’t know that on the surface, they were all friendly, but behind the scenes, they mocked the Tongjia clan for rising to power because of their sister.
Especially the Crown Prince’s maternal family, the Hesheli clan.
They naturally stood in opposition to the Tongjia clan.
One was the Emperor’s maternal family, the other the Crown Prince’s maternal family. Given the current situation, the Tongjia clan was clearly more favored by the Emperor, which was one of the reasons Soetu couldn’t stand them.
Now that Empress Xiaocheng had passed, the Hesheli clan was like a blind man, especially since they didn’t have a Gege to succeed Empress Xiaocheng.
Although the harem shouldn’t interfere in politics, the harem and the court were closely connected.
Author’s Note:
Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated me with nutrient solution between 2035-05-17 21:35:15 and 2035-05-85 22:51:27~
Thank you to the little angel who irrigated me with nutrient solution: Qiangym 3 bottles;
Thank you all for your support, I will continue to work hard!